• 171 
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ACT OF INCORPORATION 



Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 



TOGETHER WITH 



BY-LAWS 



RULES OP ORDER 



REGULATIONS Or THE PACULTY 



CORRECTED TO JANUARY, 1902 



ACT Or INCORPORATION 



Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 



TOGETHER WITH 



BY-LAWS 
RULES OP ORDER 



REGULATIONS OE THE FACULTY 



CORRECTED TO JHNUARY, 1902 



TROY, N. Y. 
Henry Stowell & Son, Printers, 15 third Street 



\ 






X* 



ACT OP INCORPORATION. 



Being chapter 151, Laws 1861, as amended by chap- 
t '2::, Laws 1887, which became a law May 4, 1887. 



The People of the State of New York, represented in 
Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows : 

Section 1. Nathan S. S. Beman, William P. Van Names of 
Rensselaer, Isaac McConihe, Thomas C. Brinsmade, 
Alvah T. Twing, Joseph M. Warren, LeGrand B. Can- 
non, D. Thomas Vail, Benjamin P. Johnson, Alexander 
Van Rensselaer, John B. Tibbits, Thomas W. Blatch- 
ford, Jonathan Edwards, William Gurley, Jonathan E. 
Whipple, John F. Winslow, John A. Griswold, E. 
Thompson Gale, the present Trustees of the Rensselaer 
Institute and their successors, are hereby constituted a 
body corporate and politic, by the name of Rensselaer 
Polytechnic Institute. By that name they shall have 
perpetual succession, with power to fill vacancies as they 
may occur from time to time in their Board, to sue and 
be sued, to complain and defend, to contract and be con- 
tracted with, to make and use a common seal, and to 
alter the same from time to time, at their pleasure ; to 
purchase, take and hold, by gift, grant or otherwise, and 
to dispose of any real and personal property, the yearly 
income of which shall not exceed ten thousand dollars, 
and to borrow from time to time such sum or sums, not Power to 
exceeding in the aggregate ten thousand dollars, as may 
be necessary to aid in maintaining this school, and to 
give the proper and sufficient obligations for the same ; 
provided that the funds of said corporation shall be 
used and appropriated to the object of maintaining a 
scientific and literary school in the county of Rensselaer. 



Power to fill 
vacancies 



Power to 
hold property- 



borrow money 



Object of 
the Institute 



Meetings of 
the Board 



Quorum 

of the Board 



Number of 
Members 



Removal 
of Members 



Member 
ex-officio 



Officers of 
the Board 



Sec. 2. The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is here- 
by incorporated for the purpose of continuing and main- 
taining in the city of Troy and county of Rensselaer, a 
school for instruction in mathematics, civil engineering, 
chemistry, mineralogy, geology, botany, literature and 
the arts and their application to agriculture, domestic 
economy and manufacturing, as the trustees shall direct ; 
and for the delivery of lectures on such subjects con- 
nected therewith as may be deemed necessary by said 
Board of Trustees. 

Sec. 3. The Trustees shall hold an annual meeting 
on such day as may be prescribed by their by-laws, and 
such other meetings as may be called by the President 
of the Board ; and a meeting shall be called at any 
time, at the written request of any three members of the 
Board. But no meeting shall be held unless notice shall 
have been sent by mail to, or left at, the dwelling house 
or place of residence of each member of the Board 
signed by the Secretary, or in case of his inability by the 
President or Vice-President. [As amended in 1866.] 

Sec. 4. No new Trustee shall be elected, nor shall any 
real estate be purchased or alienated unless at least ten 
members of the Board shall be present at the meeting. 
Seven members shall be a quorum for the transaction 
of any other business. The Board shall have power in 
its discretion to increase the number of Trustees, so as 
to make it consist of twenty-five members, including 
the Mayor of Troy. If any Trustee shall, for a con- 
tinuous period of one year, fail to attend the meetings 
of the Trustees, without reasonable excuse, he may be 
removed from his office as Trustee at any meeting of the 
Trustees where there are not less than twelve Trustees 
present. [As amended in 1866.] 

Sec. 5. The Mayor of the city of Troy for the time 
being shall, ex-officio, be a member of the Board. 

Sec. 6. The Board of Trustees shall have power to 
appoint a President, Vice-President, Secretary and 



Treasurer, a Prudential Committee, a Director, and such 
other officers as they may deem necessary ; to make 
such by-laws as they may deem proper for the election By-Laws 
of their officers and for defining their duties, and for the 
regulation and government of the Institute, and the 
school connected therewith ; to appoint professors and Appointment 
teachers in said school, and remove the same, including of nstructors 
the Director, at their pleasure, and to prescribe the com- 
pensation to be allowed to each for his services : to or- 
ganize the school under the charge of the instructors, 
and define their duties in the government and discipline 
of said school ; to fix the amount of term fees and other Tuition 
charges for tuition ; the amount of fines and other irii- and fines 
positions, including damages for injury done by students 
to the property of the Institute ; and to make such rules 
and regulations for the suspension or expulsion of stu- Expulsions 
dents as may be necessary for maintaining the discipline and suspensions 
of the school. [As amended in 1887.] 

Sec. 7. The Director and professors shall constitute Duties of the 
the faculty of said school, and, subject to the by-laws, irector 
the Director shall have charge of the course of instruc- 
tion and discipline in said school, and it shall be his duty 
to prescribe and pursue such a system of instruction as 
shall be calculated to make thorough scholars in the 
several branches of civil engineering and other studies of 
this Institute. [As amended in 1887.] 

Sec. 8. The Board of Trustees shall have power to Degrees 
confer the degrees of civil engineer, topographical en- conferred 
gineer, bachelor of science and such other academical 
honors as they may see fit on such individuals as shall 
have pursued the course of study prescribed in the Insti- 
tute, and shall have conformed to the rules and regula- 
tions for the government of the same, and who, in a 
thorough examination, shall have been found qualified 
for their respective degrees, and been recommended by 
the faculty for the same. 

Sec. 9. The officers of the present Board of Trustees Temporary 
of the Rensselaer Institute shall continue to hold their provisions in i88 7 



6 



Temporary- 
provisions in 



Visitation 
of Regents 



Reference to 
general statutes 



Repeal of 
former acts 



Operation 
of act 



respective offices in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 
until others are appointed in their stead by the Board ; 
and all by-laws and resolutions of the Board as now or- 
ganized shall remain in full force, as the acts of the new 
Board until repealed, altered or amended by the Board 
constituted under this act, and the present Director and 
professors and teachers shall be continued in office and 
pursue the present prescribed course of study and in- 
struction, until otherwise ordered by the Board. 

Sec. 10. All the real and personal estate of the Rens- 
selaer Institute shall belong to the Rensselaer Polytech- 
nic Institute ; and all liabilities and obligations of the 
present Board shall be equally binding on the Board 
as organized by this act ; and any suit in law now pend- 
ing, commenced in the name of the Rensselaer Institute, 
may be continued and conducted in the same name, 
and for the benefit of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Insti- 
tute, in the same manner as if the corporate name had 
not been changed by this act. 

Sec. 11. The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute shall be 
subject to the visitation of the Regents of the Uni- 
versity, and shall be entitled to the same privileges, 
government funds and other advantages as the acade- 
mies, colleges, and other schools of the higher order, on 
complying with the terms required by law and the rules 
of said Regents. 

Sec. 12. The corporation shall have all such powers, 
and be subject to such duties and liabilities as are 
specified or contained in the second and fifth articles of 
the first title of the fifteenth chapter; and in title third, 
chapter eighteen, of the first part of the revised statutes, 
except so far as the same are inconsistent with this act. 

Sec. 13. All laws and parts of laws relating to the 
incorporation of the Rensselaer School, or the Rens- 
selaer Institute, inconsistent with this act are hereby 
repealed. 

Sec. 14. This act shall take effect immediately. 



Only one other act relating to the Institute has been 
passed from May 4, 1887, to date (January 8, 1902). This 
is chapter 4:83, Laws 1898, which became a law April 22, 
1898. The text is given below: 



& 



The People of the State of New York, represented in 
Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows : 

Section 1. The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute shall Admission of 

, , . , - mi students 

have exclusive power to regulate and prescribe the terms 
of admission of students to the courses of instruction 
prescribed from time to time to candidates for its de- 
grees and on the satisfactory completion of such courses 
of study to confer degrees as authorized by chapter one Degrees and 
hundred fifty-one of the laws of eighteen hundred and ip omas 
sixty-one, and the several laws amendatory thereof and 
to award suitable diplomas or certificates thereof. 

Sec. 2. This act shall take effect immediately. 



BY-LAWS. 



Officers 



Committees 



Meetings 



Special 
meetings 



ARTICLE I. 

OFFICERS AND THEIR TERM OF OFFICE. 

The officers of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 
shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and 
a Treasurer, who shall be chosen by ballot, and hold 
their respective offices during the pleasure of the Board 
of Trustees. • 

ARTICLE II. 

COMMITTEES. 

There shall be two standing committees : a pruden- 
tial committee, to consist of the President and two 
Trustees ; and a finance committee, to consist of the 
Vice-President and two Trustees, who shall be appointed 
by the Board by not less than seven affirmative votes. 
All special committees shall be appointed by the pre- 
siding officer. 

ARTICLE III. 

MEETINGS. 

There shall be an annual meeting of the Board of 
Trustees held on the first Wednesday of May in each 
year, and quarterly meetings, one on the first Wednes- 
day of December and on the Wednesday succeeding 
the opening of each session of the Institute. The hour 
and place of meeting shall be fixed by the President, who 
may call special meetings, and shall do so when re- 
quested in writing by any three Trustees. 

No business shall be transacted at any special meet- 
ing other than that specified in the notices for such meet- 
ing, without unanimous consent. At least two days' 
notice of meetings shall be given. 



ARTICLE IV. 

DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT. 

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Duties of the 
Trustees ; when absent the Vice-President shall pre- 
side. If both are absent the Board shall appoint a 
President pro tern. The President shall, at commence- 
ment, conduct the exercises and deliver an address to 
the class graduated, and shall confer degrees or honors 
upon such students as shall be recommended by the Fac- 
ulty for such degrees or honors, and approved by the 
Board of Trustees. 

VICE-PRESIDENT. 

In case of the absence or disability of the President, Duties of the 
his duties and powers shall devolve upon the Vice- Vlce - President 
President. 

SECRETARY. 

The Secretary shall keep a full record of the proceed- Duties of the 
ings and votes of the Board, with the names of the Secretar y 
Trustees present at each meeting. He shall give all no- 
tices required by the acts of incorporation, by the Board 
of Trustees or by the President. He shall in all cases 
where business is transacted affecting the election of 
Trustees, or the officers and committees of the Board, 
the Director, the members of the Faculty or any person 
or persons having business relations with the Board, 
communicate its action to them. 



TREASURER. 

The Treasurer shall have the custody of the seal of Duties of the 
the corporation, and of its funds, vouchers, books of 
account, deeds and evidences of debts due to the cor- 
poration. He shall also collect and receive all moneys collections 
belonging to it, or held in trust for it, and on receipt of 
such moneys shall immediately deposit the same in such 
bank or banks as the Trustees shall have designated, to 
the credit of the corporation. He shall enter all trust 
funds in a book to be kept for that purpose. He shall 



Deposits 



10 



Payments 



Bond 



Annual 
statement 



Duties of the 

Prudential 

Committee 



Act for the 
Board 



To confer with 
the Director 



Expulsion or 
suspension of 
students 



Duties of the 

Finance 

Committee 



pay and disburse such moneys (and no other except fixed 
salaries), as shall be authorized by the Board and audited 
by the President or the Finance Committee. He shall 
execute a bond to the corporation whenever required by 
the Board of Trustees for such sum as the Trustees may 
fix, and with such securities as they shall approve, for 
the faithful performance of his duties. He shall, at least 
two weeks before the annual meeting, present to the 
Finance Committee a statement of the financial condi- 
tion of the corporation, and a full statement of his re- 
ceipts and disbursements for the preceding year, with 
the proper vouchers, and shall also furnish them, at 
least one week before the annual meeting, a statement 
of the trust funds of the corporation, and of the donors 
thereof, showing the receipts and disbursements of the 
several funds, with the proper vouchers. 

PRUDENTIAL COMMITTEE. 

The Prudential Committee shall be the Executive 
Committee of the Board. They shall have charge of 
the buildings of the corporation, and, with the Director, 
shall supervise the condition of the buildings, library 
and apparatus of the Institute, and shall have power to 
do such acts and perform such duties between the 
meetings of the Board as, in their discretion, cannot 
properly be delayed till its next meeting. 

They shall confer with the Director in relation to the 
appointment of any professor, teacher or employee to 
be made by the Board, and shall report to the Board 
any alteration of or addition to the buildings or land 
deemed by them necessary. They shall also confer with 
the Director in relation to the discipline of the students, 
but no expulsion or dismission of any student shall be 
made without the sanction of the Board of Trustees, nor 
suspension without the concurrence of the Prudential 
Committee. 

FINANCE COMMITTEE. 

The Finance Committee shall have the supervision of 
the finances of the corporation, shall examine the Treas- 



II 

urer's account at least once a year, and oftener if re- Examination of 
quired by the Board, taking the fiscal year to terminate reasurer s accoun s 
on the first day of March. They shall report to the 
Board, at their annual meeting, the financial condition 
of the corporation, with any suggestions that may seem 
to them useful in relation to the finances. 

The chairman of each committee shall report to the Reports of 
Board, at each meeting, all business done by such com- 
mittee since the last meeting of the Board, and shall 
recommend any business deemed necessary to be done 
at such meeting pertaining to said committee. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Any proposition to alter these by-laws shall lay over Alteration of 
one meeting of the Board. 

All former by-laws or resolutions of the Board con- 
flicting with the foregoing by-laws are hereby rescinded. 



RULES OP ORDER. 



Order of procedure 
at meetings 



RULE I. 

At all regular meetings the following order of business 
shall be pursued, unless dispensed with by a vote of the 
members present : 

1. Reading the minutes of former meetings, and 
correcting the same. 

2. Presentation of petitions and papers, and taking 
action thereon. 

3. Reports of standing and special committees, and 
taking action on the same. 

4. Unfinished and miscellaneous business. 



Motions 



RULE II. 

No motion shall be debated unless seconded ; and if 
seconded, may be withdrawn by the person making the 
same, at any time before a decision or amendment is 
made ; and all motions and resolutions shall be reduced 
to writing, if any member shall so request. 



Divisible 
questions 



RULE III. 

Every question containing two or more distinct propo- 
sitions or objects shall be divided by the chairman on 
the request of any member, but a motion to strike out 
and insert shall not be divisible. 



Filling of 
blanks 



RULE IV. 

When a blank is to be filled, the question shall first be 
taken on the largest sum, the greatest number and the 
longest time. 



13 



RULE V. 

When a question is under debate no motion shall be Questions having 



entertained unless for an adjournment , jor the previous 
question, to postpone indejinitely, to postpone to a certai?i day, 
to lay on the table, to commit or to amend ; and such mo- 
tions shall have preference in the above order; and the 
first five shall be decided without debate or amendment. 



preference 



RULE VI. 

A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except Motion to adjourn 
when the previous question has been moved, or when 
the Board is voting on any question. 

RULE VII. 

No motion or resolution shall admit of more than Amendments to 
two amendments ; and the last amendment shall be con- 
sidered first. 

RULE VIII. 

The previous question shall be, "Shall the main ques- Previous question 
tion be now put?" and until that question is decided no 
debate, amendment or other motion shall be in order. 
If decided in the affirmative, then the Board shall, with- 
out debate or amendment, proceed to vote on the pas- 
sage of the matter under consideration; but in case a 
majority shall not vote in favor of the previous question, 
the main question or matter under consideration shall be 
deemed as still remaining under debate. 



RULE IX. 

No motion to reconsider a question shall be in order Motion to 
unless made by a member who voted with the majority, reconsider 
nor unless the same be made on the same day, or at 
the next meeting thereafter ; and such motion being put 
and lost, shall not be renewed except by unanimous con- 
sent. 



Procedure in 
debating 



14 

RULE X. 

A member shall not speak more than twice on the 
same subject, except by unanimous consent. He shall 
address the President, and confine his remarks to the 
subject under discussion; and when called to order he 
shall, at the request of the presiding officer, take his 
seat until the point of order is decided. 



Ayes and noes 



Appeals from 
decisions 



Excuse for 
not voting 



RULE XL 

The ayes and noes shall be taken on any question 
or matter presented to the Board for decision, on the 
request of any member, and shall be recorded on the 
minutes. 

RULE XII. 

An appeal, without debate, from the decision of the 
presiding officer, in relation to points of order, shall be 
allowed ; but such officer may give his reasons for such 
decision. 

RULE XIII. 

No member shall be excused from voting except the 
President, unless by a vote of a majority of the mem- 
bers present ; but the President, if he has not already 
voted, shall, in case of a tie vote, always vote. 



Interruption 
of speakers 



Suspension 
of rules 



RULE XIV. 

While a member is speaking no member shall enter- 
tain any private discourse, or pass between him and the 
chair. 

RULE XV. 

Any of the foregoing rules may be suspended, for a 
special purpose, by a vote of two-thirds of the mem- 
bers present. 



REGULATIONS OE THE ERCULTY. 



Section 1. The Director, professors and teachers com- Faculty 
pose the Faculty of the Institute, who shall, under the 
control of the Trustees, have charge of the instruction, 
government and discipline of the students, except that 
they shall not dismiss or expel any student without the 
sanction of the Board of Trustees. 

Sec. 2. The Facultv shall annuallv choose one of its Duties of the 

Secretary 

members to be its Secretary, who shall keep a record, of 

all business transacted at its meetings, and of the votes 

taken therein, which shall be subject to the inspection of 

the President. The Secretary shall present the. record Minutes 

to the Board at its regular meetings, and at such other 

times as directed by the President or the Board of 

Trustees. 

Six members of the Faculty, of whom three shall be Quorum 
professors or acting professors, shall constitute a 
quorum for the transaction of business. 

Sec. 3. Weekly meetings of the Faculty shall be held Weekly meetings 
during term time, at which reports shall be made to the 
Director, by the professors and teachers, of the progress 
of the several classes in their respective studies, and the J r p e ° c r to s r ° 
standing of each member of each class ; and suitable 
steps shall be taken to keep up the work of the course in 
every department. The professors and teachers shall 
also promptly report to the Director the result of the 
various examinations in their several departments relat- 
ing to the admission and progress of the students in the 
several classes, and the final examinations for gradua- 
tion. They shall also make such special reports to the 
Director as he may require. 



i6 



Special 
meetings 



Absences 



Members entitled 
to vote 



Sec. 4. The Director shall have power to call special 
meetings of the Faculty, and shall give proper notice of 
such meetings. 

No member of the Faculty shall be absent from the 
general examinations for admission or promotion, from 
his duties at the Institute during term time, nor from 
the commencement exercises without written permission 
from the Director. The Director shall report monthly 
to the President all such absences, with the various 
reasons therefor, and also all absences from the weekly 
meetings. 

Sec. 5. When questions are submitted to vote at meet- 
ings of the Faculty, only the Director, the professors and 
acting professors shall be entitled to vote ; but no vote of 
the Faculty shall reverse or overrule any decision of the 
Director. 



Grounds and 
buildings 



Preparation of 
programmes 



Direction of 
courses 



POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR. 

Sec. 6. The Director of the Institute shall be the 
executive head of the Faculty. As such head he shall 
have charge of the grounds, buildings, rooms, apparatus 
and other appliances of the Institute, and shall control 
or regulate their uses, subject to the provisions of that 
paragraph of Article IV. of the By-Laws, entitled "Pru- 
dential Committee." 

Sec. 7. He shall, with the advice of the Faculty, pre- 
pare the programme or course of study, instruction and 
examination in the Institute, with estimates of the an- 
nual expenditures to carry out the same, and submit 
them to the Trustees for their criticism and approval. In 
like manner, he shall, from time to time, recommend to 
the Trustees such changes or additions to the course of 
study as he shall think necessary for the proper conduct 
of the educational business of the Institute. 

Sec. 8. He shall have power, and it shall be his duty 
to see that the course of study is properly carried out 
in all departments of the Institute in such manner as 



17 



shall most effectually tend to the progress of its students 
in their education. 

Sec. 9. He shall direct the professors and teachers, Arrangement of 
arrange the students into divisions.and classes, direct the 
execution of the course of study and the examinations, 
shall review the record of standing of each student in 
the Institute, in reference to conditions in all depart- 
ments of study, conduct the correspondence of the In- 
stitute ; and shall report to the Board of Trustees, at each 
annual meeting, the condition of the property of the In- Report condition 

1 i • i i 1 11 r • ■ of property 

stitute under his charge, and shall, from time to time, 
make such special reports to the Board or to the Pruden- 
tial Committee as shall to him seem necessary. 



Sec. 10. An opportunity shall be afforded to condi- 
tioned students to remove their conditions at the time 
of the fall entrance examinations. If they fail to re- 
move their conditions at this time, they shall be allowed 
to continue their full Institute course for a degree only 
with the next lower division, except on the recommenda- 
tion of the Director and the approval of the Prudential 
Committee. 



Conditioned 
students 



DUTIES OF PROFESSORS AND TEACHERS. 
Sec. 11. It shall be the duty of each professor, with the Dut y of 

........ . • i • i / 1 • Professors 

aid ot his assistants in his own department (subject to 
the control of the Director), to give instruction in all the 
subjects assigned to such departments, except such 
special instruction as may be assumed by the Director, 
or assigned by him to some other teacher specially quali- 
fied therefor. 



Sec. 12. Professors shall not change their text-books change of books 

t r . . . . , . . , 1 or methods 

or modes of instruction without consultation with, and 
consent of, the Director. They shall be held responsible 
to the Director for the maintenance of proper discipline 
and order in their respective classes and exercises; and 
in case they find it necessary to discipline their classes, 
or any member or members thereof, they shall imme- 



i8 



Duties of 
Assistant 
Professors 



diately report the facts in the case to the Director, who, 
with the professor reporting, shall immediately take 
proper steps to remedy the trouble in a manner consist- 
ent with the dignity and authority of the professor and 
the rights of the student. 

Sec. 13. It shall be the duty of all assistant professors 
and teachers to carry out the instructions of the heads of 
their respective departments and of the Director, to pre- 
serve order in their rooms, and to perform such other 
duties as may be required pertaining to their department. 
In case of disorder or misconduct in their respective 
rooms they shall promptly take such steps to enforce 
order and discipline as circumstances may seem to re- 
quire, and shall immediately report the facts to the Di- 
rector, who shall proceed to take proper action to remedy 
the trouble. 



Advice of 
Faculty- 



Absence of 
Director 



Appeal of 
Faculty- 



SeC. 14. It shall be the duty of all members of the 
Faculty, whenever requested to do so, to advise with 
the Director and to render him such co-operation and 
aid as may be in their power in advancing the best in- 
terests of the Institute and its students. In like manner 
it shall be the duty of the Director to aid, by his advice, 
any professor who may seek his counsel and assistance 
in the discharge of his duties. 

Sec. 15. In case of the absence or disability of the Di- 
rector, his duties shall devolve upon the senior professor 
present on duty. 

Sec. 16. In case the Faculty, or any member or mem- 
bers thereof, shall feel aggrieved by any act or require- 
ment of the Director, an appeal may be taken to the 
President, and from his decision to the Board of Trus- 
tees. 



General powers 
of appeal 



Sec. 17. Appeals from any action of the professors 
may be taken by the teachers to the Director, and from 
his decision to the President and to the Trustees. Stu- 



19 

dents may appeal from any act or requirement of the 
teachers, assistant professors or professors in like man- 
ner or order. 

Sec. 18. All appeals must be made in writing; and to Appeals in 
secure the proper statement of the whole case, must be wnting 
forwarded through the teacher, professor or Director to 
the superior authority, thus giving the party appealed 
from opportunity to state his side of the case. 

Sec. 19. Any former rules or regulations that shall Former rules 
conflict with the foregoing are hereby rescinded. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



030 010 394 7 




